In the last module, I talked about the tools you need and the importance of a day planner for your home business. I closed by strongly suggesting you keep the contact number of appointments handy while traveling to the designated meeting area.

Raise your hand if the traffic ever came to a sudden stop while you were headed to an appointment. This is why we keep phone numbers handy and invest in a good headset.

That brings us to the next tool – a good headset. Invest in a headset that is comfortable and clear – meaning you can hear them and they can hear you. And make sure it stays on your ear if you’re walking or moving around. Call friends and family to confirm the clarity while you can still exchange it.

A headset allows you to multitask and keeps you from breaking your neck. There’s no need to sell you on this tool. Once you‘ve used a good headset, you’ll sell yourself. It’s worth the investment.

Speaking of investments, it’s important that you are tracking all those business investments. The simplest tools for me are a separate checking account and credit card. That makes end of the year accounting sooo much easier.

Still, separate accounts are not required by Uncle Sam for most 1099 and self employed individuals. If you are a good record keeper, you can comingle business and personal funds. Remember, I AM NOT A CPA or an accountant. Consult them for details. Those people who are required to keep separate funds or face huge penalties, including prison time, you should know who you are.

Relax, stop thinking about prison and start wondering which tool did Tami forget to cover earlier? I mentioned it with one of the other tools. I was so carried away sharing the importance of that tool, I forgot to explore the other. I’ll tell you about it in the next module.